When Kate Shot Rick
by ucsbdad
Summary: Sometimes things don't go well. A three shot. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

When Kate Shot Rick

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I own none of this, as if you didn't know. Rating: K Time: Sometime in late season one. More or less. Thereabouts. Sort of.

She whirled around, her Glock at the ready. "Castle! I told you to stay in the car." She whispered.

"I got lonely. Besides, suppose he comes out and sees me all alone with the car?"

"We have all the exits covered. Will you go back outside?"

"No. I might get hurt. Suppose he's in another creepy, abandoned warehouse?"

She took a deep breath. She just couldn't deal with him right now. "Fine. Just stay back."

"I can't see a thing in here. Why doesn't everyone use their flashlights?" He whispered.

She turned back to him. "Because this is a huge, empty warehouse. He can see our flashlights and know exactly where everyone is. He's an armed killer, remember? Now shut up and stay well behind me."

He tried, but when Kate stopped to listen a moment later, he ran into the back of her. "Castle! What did I just tell you?"

"I can't see anything." He felt wetness on his head. "And it's starting to rain and the roof here is mostly holes." He heard a nearby rumble. "It's a thunderstorm. We're going to get wet."

"The car is nice and dry." She whispered sarcastically.

"I'll be careful."

He really tried to be careful and stay behind her. He even put his hand out to try to feel his way through the pitch-black warehouse. He ran his hand into her hair, tangling them together for just a moment.

She whirled around and got right in his face. "Castle, if you touch me again, I swear I'll shoot you in someplace you'll really hate getting shot. Do you understand?"

Before he could say a word, there was a giant bolt of lightning and he saw Mick McManus, the killer, not twenty feet away, his gun pointed right at Kate's back. He shoved Kate down and heard the crack of a gunshot at once. He felt like he'd been hit with a baseball bat in his side.

"Castle!" She yelled and tried to push him off of her. Then she heard other shots. Suddenly there were flashlights everywhere and everyone was rushing towards her.

"Beckett! Are you all right?" Esposito yelled.

"I'm fine. What happened? Castle decided to run into me and knock me down. Where's McManus?"

"Dead." Called another officer. "Espo dropped him just as he shot at you."

"He shot at me?" She realized Castle was still on top of her. "Castle, will you get off of me."

"Shit." Ryan said. "He's bleeding. He must have been shot by McManus."

Kate ran what had just happened through her mind and came up with an awful conclusion. "No, my Glock fired when I hit the ground. Oh, God. I shot Castle."

"How is he?" Someone asked. "I have an ambulance on the way. ETA, five minutes."

Espo knelt by Castle as Ryan helped Kate up.

"His Kevlar didn't stop the bullet. There's a hole in it. I can't find an exit wound. I don't know how bad he's hurt."

"Get the damned ambulance here now." Kate screamed.

The noise caused Castle to open his eyes and look around. "I didn't think you'd really shoot me for just touching you, Beckett." Then his eyes closed again.

Kate rode the ambulance with Castle in it to the hospital, but was stopped when he was taken into surgery. She sent Ryan and Esposito back to the 12th. She'd stay with Castle and hope for the best.

Hours later she was woken by a doctor.

"You're the detective who's Detective Castle's partner?"

Kate was too tired and way too worried to correct the doctor. She just nodded.

"His vest didn't stop the bullet, but it did slow it down. He has two broken ribs, some muscle damage, damage to the left lung and some internal bleeding. But, he's out of danger. Barring any complications, he can go home in a couple of days, but it'll be a while before he can return to duty."

Kate sobbed with relief. She wouldn't have to tell Castle's mother and daughter that he was dead or crippled. "Thank you. Can I see him?"

The doctor shook his head. "He's still in the ICU and he's heavily sedated. Don't worry. He'll be okay."

Kate drove back to the 12th. The bullpen was empty except for Captain Montgomery.

"You look like hell, Beckett. Go home and get some sleep."

She shook her head. "I need to go see Castle's family and explain what happened. It'll just take a few minutes, sir."

"Not necessary. I went to see them myself."

"What did you tell them?"

"Just that he was shot tracking down an armed killer and that he'll be okay. As far as the rest of it, I said there'll be an investigation."

"Roy, I got mad at Castle for following me into the warehouse and then for bumping into me in the dark. I…I said I'd shoot him if he touched me again. He knocked me down when he saw McManus and that's when my gun went off. He woke up a bit later. He thinks I shot him on purpose. I swear it was an accident, Roy."

Roy nodded. "I'm sure it was. But you'll have to meet a shooting team for their investigation. Esposito will have to meet one in a few days, for the McManus shooting, but yours won't be until Castle can testify. Now go home."

The first thing Kate did when she woke up the next day was call the hospital to see if Castle was okay. She breathed a sigh of relief when told he was.

In spite of the paperwork that the two shootings caused her, Kate snuck off at lunchtime to see Castle and apologize. However, she was disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Detective. "The nurse said. "But there might be bullet fragments still in Mr. Castle. He's been taken for an MRI, but there's some kind of backup. He won't be back in his room for hours."

"But I can go see him while he waits, right?"

"I'm sorry, but that's against hospital policy."

Kate was about to sneak to where ever the MRI was when she got a phone call. They had a body drop. She had to go.

By the time she got back to the precinct, it was well past visiting hours at the hospital. However, Lanie, Ryan and Esposito were gathered around Espo's desk. As soon as they saw her leave the elevator, they shoved something in Espo's desk and started to walk away.

"How are you doing, Sweetie?" Lanie asked.

"Better now that I know Castle's going to be okay. What were you three looking at?"

"Oh, it's nothing Kate. Why don't we get a cup of coffee?"

"If it's nothing, why are you trying to keep me from seeing it?" Kate said as she pushed past Lanie. "Espo? Ryan? What is it?"

Finally, Ryan spoke. "You made the front page of the Ledger. But it's below the fold."

She held out her hand. "Let me see. Now!"

Espo opened his desk and handed her the paper.

There was a photo of Castle, one of the ones used on his books and a photo of her.

"Oh crap! Where did they get that picture of me?"

"From the Helms case. You'd been up for almost forty-eight hours trying to catch the creep, and you caught him in that abandoned building in the South Bronx…." Ryan said.

"And you were kind of squinting because the morning sun was in your eyes." Espo added.

"You were kind of mussed." Lanie added.

"Kind of? I look like I was rolling in a gutter." Kate said as she read the article. "Author Richard Castle, best-selling…yada… yada… yada…Kate Beckett, NYPD Detective…yada...yada…yada…. "Sources close to Mr. Castle say that all has not been well between the writer and the detective. Apparently Detective Beckett has threatened bodily harm to Mr. Castle on numerous occasions. And now this." Kate dropped the paper. "I never meant it. I was just…"

"Detective Beckett. My office. Now." Growled Captain Montgomery.

Kate closed the door behind her.

"You've seen the paper?"

"Yes."

"Kate, did you really tell Castle that if he touched you, you'd shoot him?"

"I didn't mean it, sir." She said softly.

"Never the less, you said you'd shoot him if he touched you, he touched you and now he's been shot."

"Sir, I swear to you…"

"I know, Beckett." Roy said quickly. "I know you'd never intentionally shoot Castle and so does everyone who knows you. But no one on the shooting investigation team knows you. And the local newspapers sure as hell don't know you. Where did they dig up that photo, anyway?"

"It's from the Helms case. God, they didn't even have to caption it. Anyone who looks at it is going to think that's exactly what a psycho rogue cop who'd shoot a writer for touching her would look like."

"Don't worry about it, Beckett. The NYPD has had bad publicity before when we didn't deserve it. This will all blow over. Now go home."

Esposito's shooting team investigation was the next day. As one of the witnesses, Kate was required to be present. Espo tried to explain how Castle had been shot, but was quickly stopped and told that another shooting team would handle that.

The investigation dragged on for hours. It seemed as if Captain Buckley from One PP and Lieutenant O'Toole from Internal Affairs were having a contest to see who could ask the longest, most convoluted and least relevant question. Kate thought that they tied.

At last the investigation was over, with Espo cleared, and Kate could go see Rick and apologize. She went to Captain Montgomery's office to let him know where she'd be.

"Sorry, Beckett, but you have work to do. Assistant District Attorney Morales needs to talk to you about the Jeffries case."

It soon became obvious to Kate that Morales was just out of law school and was not at all confident of her abilities. She asked questions that had clearly been covered in Beckett's report and when Kate tried to move things along, Morales dug in her heels and asked more and more questions. When they were done, it was long past visiting hours at the hospital.

As soon as she went to her desk to get her coat and purse, she could tell by the reactions of Lanie, Ryan and Esposito that something else was wrong.

"Did I make the front page of the Ledger again." She asked, becoming resigned to bad publicity.

"No, Sweetie, you made Manhattan Today, the weekly."

"Do I look even worse than in the Ledger?"

Lanie handed her the glossy magazine. Kate was shocked at the photo. "Oh my god!"

"Where did that photo come from, Kate?" Lanie asked.

"I was borrowed by Narcotics when I first became a detective. They needed someone who could pass for a wannabe model to crack a ring selling drugs to models."

"There's not much to that dress." Ryan said. "In fact…"

"Yes!" Kate snapped. "You can see that I'm wearing bright red panties."

"And you're not wearing a bra." Espo added, then grunted when Lanie kicked him.

Kate began to read the short article. "Richard Castle, known for being the love 'em and leave 'em type, may have found someone who didn't like being loved and left. All we can truly say is that Richard Castle is recovering after being shot by Detective Kate Beckett whom he has been following for his next book. But we can say that Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Kate dropped the magazine. "They're…they're saying I shot Castle because he dumped me after we slept together!" She shrieked. "We've never even held hands! They can't say that!"

"Kate…" Lanie began.

"I'm going home. It's late." Kate grabbed her things and left.

As soon as Kate reached her apartment, she called her dad.

"Dad, I need some legal advice."

"Is Castle suing you for what happened?"


	2. Chapter 2

When Kate Shot Rick

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I own none of this, as if you didn't know. Rating: K Time: Sometime in late season one. More or less. Thereabouts. Sort of.

"No. Of course not. At least I don't think so. Why? Do you think he would?"

"I don't know. You know him better than I do, but getting shot is the kind of thing that people sue about, Katie. "

"Castle is not suing me. At least I haven't heard if he is. I want to talk to you about the articles in the news media about me. Manhattan Today magazine practically said that I shot Castle because he dumped me after we slept together." Kate suddenly realized what she'd just said. "Not that we've slept together, Dad. We've never so much as held hands or kissed. It's all lies."

"Katie, I did read both articles. They were kind of hard for me to ignore. As far as the Manhattan Today story goes, they haven't written anything libelous. They've pointed out that Mr. Castle has a certain reputation with women and that you are a very attractive woman. They're saying that Castle may have found someone who didn't like being loved and left. They did not say that he definitely did, and that you were that woman. It's all speculation, except for the part about you shooting him. That's true, I'm afraid."

"What about the article in the Ledger? I want to know who the someone close to Castle is. If it's Castle, and I suspect it is, I'll…." Kate stopped before she said something she shouldn't. That's how this mess got started, with a threat she didn't mean.

"Katie, the newspaper is going to refuse to name its sources. That's basic Second Amendment. You know that."

"So I just have to sit here and let them say these things?"

"If I see something that is libelous, I'll let you know."

"I'd rather you didn't look, Dad. Thanks. Good-bye."

As she only had paperwork to do the next day, Kate decided to visit Castle in the hospital and apologize there. Again, she was disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Detective. "Said the nurse. "You just missed Mr. Castle. He was released about fifteen minutes ago. His family took him home."

Kate decided to stop by Castle's loft and apologize to him there. She could stay late at work to catch up on her paperwork if she had to. It wasn't like she'd never stayed late before.

Alexis Castle opened the door to the loft and scowled as soon as she saw Kate. "What do you want?" She asked sharply.

"I'd like to talk to your dad. To apologize to him for what happened."

"Dad is asleep right now. In spite of all the drugs they gave him, he wasn't able to sleep comfortably at the hospital."

"I just need to tell him that it was an accident. In spite of what I said, I would never intentionally hurt your father. Please tell him that."

"That's not the point, Detective Beckett. The point is that my father is a writer, not a cop. He shouldn't he trailing after you in that stupid vest just because he's fascinated with you. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't come here anymore. Goodbye." Alexis closed the door on Kate.

It wasn't until she got to the elevator that Alexis' use of the word fascinated registered. _Castle is fascinated with me?_ She thought_. I always knew he was interested in my story, that's why he follows me, for my story and the story of Nikki Heat. He'd certainly like to get me in bed, but fascinated? No, that's just Alexis' teenaged interpretation of our relationship. There's no way Castle is fascinated with me. _

When Kate got back to the precinct, she found she had visitors.

"Yo, Beckett." Espo called to he as soon as the elevator doors opened. "Sergeant Graham from the police union is here along with some lawyer to get you ready for the shooting investigation. Castle is out of the hospital and should be up for the hearing in a day or two."

Kate didn't bother to tell Esposito what had happened at Castle's loft, but headed straight for the office where Graham and the lawyer were waiting. She told them exactly what had happened as best she could.

"I know I said I'd shoot Castle if he touched me, but I didn't mean it. I would never do that to anyone."

Graham and the lawyer exchanged a look. Graham finally spoke.

"But you did make the threat and Castle did get shot. The shooting investigation probably won't think you were serious, but they'll take a very dim view of you shooting a civilian accidentally."

"Have Castle's lawyers been in touch with you about a lawsuit?" The lawyer interrupted.

"No. Not at all. Do you really think Castle would sue me? I mean, he is a millionaire, many times over. He certainly doesn't need the money."

"Detective Beckett, people become millionaires because they don't allow opportunities to make a lot of money pass them by. I doubt if you have the kind of assets that would interest Castle's lawyers, but…"

"I do have a substantial trust find that my parents set up for me." Kate broke in.

"That's just more bad news then." The lawyer said. "The real money will come from suing the city."

"Didn't Castle sign all kinds of waivers to avoid the city being held liable?" Kate asked.

The lawyer shook his head. "A judge might accept that if some criminal shot Castle, but being shot by an NYPD officer…." The lawyer just shook his head.

"If Castle was going to sue me or the city, wouldn't his lawyers have done something by now?"

"They may be waiting for the decision by the shooting team. If they find that you intentionally shot Castle just for touching you, well, that's a whole other ball game."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Marty, "Graham said, "but there really haven't been many cases comparable to this, have there? Castle isn't just rich, he's a celebrity in this town."

Marty thought for a second. "About two years ago a very wealthy young tech entrepreneur was shot in the foot by a rookie patrolman in Brooklyn. The kid was into extreme sports, was a philanthropist, and wanted to build a manned scientific base on the Moon. The city paid a half a million dollars and the rookie was fired."

Graham shook his head. "Believe me, Detective Beckett, we'll do our best for you, but I think you can kiss your gold shield goodbye. I'm sure that we can keep you on the force, but you'll be a uniform again."

Kate walked back to her desk feeling devastated.

That night back in her apartment, Kate lay in bed, unable to sleep, just staring at the ceiling. Losing her trust fund wouldn't be so bad. She'd never needed much in her life. Not being a detective any more was terrifying, though. Her whole life was about helping people find the closure she'd never had. Sure, she could do that as a uniform, but she knew she was just too damned good a homicide detective to waste as a uniform. She determined that if she was made a uniform, she'd do everything she could to get back to being a homicide detective. If they kicked her off the force entirely, well, the NYPD wasn't the only police force around.

Oddly enough, she felt a bit sad about the way her relationship with Castle was going to end. She could admit to herself that he had been a help on her cases, and that she hadn't been as nice to him as she could have. Then again, if she had been nice, his ego would have swollen to monumental proportions. She was going to miss him, however. And, she was sad that their…What? Friendship? Partnership? Relationship would end with them on opposite sides in a courtroom. She really had trouble imagining that he would treat her that way.

_Sure._ She thought. _Criticize guy endlessly and then shoot him. What would you expect?_

Eventually, she got to sleep.

It was another three days before Rick was in good enough condition to appear before the shooting investigation team. The investigation was held at One PP. Deputy Chief Randall was to chair the hearing along with a Captain Gates from Internal Affairs. Also present was an attorney from the city, a David Mangano.

Kate, along with Ryan, Esposito and all of the officers who had been on the scene were waiting in the hallway, waiting for the hearing to begin. Kate suddenly spotted Castle, lounging against a wall, smiling to himself.

She walked over to him. "Did you orchestrate this to get back at me?" She demanded.

His smile grew broader. "Why Detective Beckett, do you really think I managed to get myself shot just to upset you?"

"That's not what I meant." She snapped. "Did you arrange for the leak from "sources close to Richard Castle."?" Did you arrange for that awful photo to go to Manhattan Today? Did you do that to humiliate me? Because if you did, you're hoist with your own petard. After today I may not be a cop anymore and I sure as hell won't be a detective. You won't have me to base your Nikki Heat on."

"Hoist with his own petard. Beckett, it is so cool that you can quote Shakespeare."

Before Kate could reply, Sergeant Graham grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away. "Beckett, are you trying to get fired? Going face to face with Castle like that?"

Kate just glared at one and all.

Finally, they were all called into the hearing room. Kate noticed that Captain Gates glared at her, which was hardly a good sign.

Kate was the first person called to testify. She explained what had happened that night as carefully and as completely as she could. "However, I did not intentionally shoot Mr. Castle. I would never do such a thing to anyone and most certainly not to Mr. Castle."

Gates pounced on that admission. "Why do you say that you most certainly wouldn't shoot Mr. Castle. From all of the evidence we've collected, you had no use for Mr. Castle."

Kate could imagine Castle grinning at the question.

"It's true that I initially opposed having Mr. Castle follow me around, but since then I have found him to be an excellent, if unorthodox, investigator. I had thought we were becoming colleagues, at least, and possibly even friends. It appears that I was wrong."

"I do hope you don't threaten to shoot all of your colleagues or friends, Detective." Gates growled.

"Mr. Castle, if we could hear your testimony now?" Deputy Chief Randall asked.

The city's lawyer, Mr. Mangano spoke. "Mr. Castle, you don't have legal counsel with you today?"

Castle smiled. "I really didn't think that was necessary."

"May I ask you how upset you were when Detective Beckett threatened to shoot you?" Randall asked.

Castle looked puzzled for a moment. "Threatened? I've certainly never felt threatened by anything Detective Beckett has said to me."

That attracted everyone's attention.

"Mr. Castle, are you saying that you didn't feel at all threatened when Detective Beckett said she'd shoot you if you touched her?" Randall asked, somewhat incredulously.

"That's correct. Perhaps I should explain more fully. I'm sure you're all aware that Detective Beckett is the finest homicide detective in the NYPD, perhaps in all of New York State. Why, she may be the best…"

Randall cut him off. "If you could get to the point, Mr. Castle?"

"Certainly. My apologies for getting off message. But Detective Beckett is also an excellent leader and communicator. If I may give an example from elsewhere?" Without waiting for a reply, Castle went on. "Some years ago, while doing research for a book project that never went anywhere, I visited the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. There I saw Marine drill instructors threaten death and dismemberment to their recruits repeatedly. It was explained to me that this, in part, was to get the recruits into a mindset that they were, or soon could be, in a life or death situation. It's the same with Detective Beckett. Her threats are only uttered to put me in the proper mindset. After all, we do chase killers."

"But Detective Beckett did shoot you."


	3. Chapter 3

When Kate Shot Rick

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I own none of this, as if you didn't know. Rating: K Time: Sometime in late season one. More or less. Thereabouts. Sort of.

Castle shook his head. "No, she did not."

There was a moment of shocked silence followed by pandemonium as everyone in the room began speaking at once. It took a minute or two of bellowing for Deputy Chief Randall to quiet the room.

"Mr. Castle, we just heard Detective Beckett admit to shooting you."

Castle nodded. "And I believe that Detective Beckett truly believes she did shoot me, but she didn't. May I explain?"

"Please do."

"If you'll bear with me for a moment, I did a little research on the thunderstorm that night. While I'm not a qualified meteorologist, my investigation leads me to believe that up to a dozen lightning bolts hit the wharf next to the warehouse almost simultaneously, bathing the warehouse in bright light for from three to five seconds, or possibly longer. When I saw McManus about to shoot Detective Beckett, I pushed her down. As you will do in that situation, I looked down to see where and how we would land. I saw my left thumb slip into the trigger guard of Detective Beckett's pistol. When we hit the ground, her pistol stopped but my thumb kept moving. My thumb pushed the trigger back and the gun fired. The light disappeared after I was shot."

"Your testimony is that you accidentally shot yourself with Detective Beckett's pistol?" Randall asked.

"Exactly." Castle replied.

Randall, Gates and Mangano turned away and huddled briefly, their voices too low to be heard by anyone else. Finally, they turned around again.

"We see no reason to call further witnesses or review the forensic evidence, since none of it could contradict Mr. Castle's testimony. Detective Katherine Beckett, as we have found that you did not fire the shot in question, you are exonerated for that. However, there is still the matter of you issuing a threat of bodily harm to a member of the public, to wit, Mr. Richard Castle. Therefore, a Letter of Admonishment will be placed in your official police personnel file. However, based on your exemplary record, the letter will be removed in one year as long as you conduct yourself in a professional and polite manner to all members of the public, and most specifically with Mr. Castle. That is all."

As a sigh of relief went through the room, Castle stood up.

"Deputy Chief Randall, if I may? There has been a great deal of unfavorable publicity because of this incident. I've arranged for a press conference at Le Bonne Chance Club here in Manhattan to set the record straight."

"That's very generous of you, Mr. Castle."

Castle went on. "I think it would be best if Detective Beckett accompanied me."

Kate shot to her feet. "Sir, Le Bonne Chance Club is the most expensive and exclusive club in New York. I have nothing to wear to such a place."

"You sound like my wife, Detective." Randall shot back.

"I know that Detective Beckett has several pants suits that she can wear." Castle said. "She'll certainly be better dressed than any of the reporters."

"Detective Beckett, you will accompany Mr. Castle to the press conference. That's an order."

"I'll pick you up at eight o'clock. Beckett." Castle said and walked out.

Kate Beckett glared at her image in her mirror. _I do not want to go to Le Bonne Chance tonight. I do not want to go to Le Bonne Chance tonight with Castle. I do not want to go to Le Bonne Chance tonight with Castle for a press conference._ She growled at her image and stamped out of her bathroom. She pulled off her jacket and the black turtleneck she had on, then looked down at her plain white, cotton bra. She pulled that off and took her very best bra out of her underwear drawer. It was soft black silk with lace trim. Over it, she put on a sheer silk blouse. She looked at herself in the mirror. _Castle can look all he wants, but he can't touch._ She thought. Then she went to her jewelry box and took out the only good piece she had, a pearl necklace that had belonged to her grandmother.

Exactly at eight o'clock there was a knock on her door. It was Castle, dressed in a blue suit and an open necked maroon shirt.

He smiled and then whistled. "You are absolutely gorgeous, Beckett. The black pantsuit is perfect for you and the pearls add a nice touch. And, you have on your trademark stiletto heels. You're going to knock them dead."

Kate blushed slightly. "Can we go now?"

When they got to the street, Kate came to an abrupt stop.

"Is this what you got to take us to the club?"

"Yes. Is there something wrong with it?"

"Castle, it's a Rolls-Royce. With a uniformed chauffer?"

"Would you have preferred a Bentley?" Castle asked, a bit nervously.

"I've never ridden in any kind of limo, let alone a Rolls-Royce."

Castle smiled and gestured to the chauffer to open the rear door. "Everyone should ride in a Rolls-Royce at least once. And you, Detective Beckett, should ride in one all of the time."

Kate had no idea how to respond to that, so she just got in the car.

Once at Le Bonne Chance, they found the reporters were a bit restless. For some reason, the hors d'oeuvres had not been served and much more importantly, the open bar was not open. There wasn't even a bartender around. Rick hurried to correct that oversight, and then introduced Kate to the assembled reporters.

"This is my partner and my muse, Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. Some of you may have run across her in your daily work, but I can assure you that she is the finest homicide detective in the city, perhaps in the whole country. Let me tell you a bit about the remarkable Detective Kate Beckett…."

Castle went on to praise Kate to the skies. He was only interrupted when the hors d'oeuvres and the portable bar and bartender arrived. As the reporters headed for the free food and drink, Kate leaned in to whisper in Rick's ear.

"Castle, you're going way overboard introducing me. Don't you remember, _you_ broke the case by figuring the nanny took too long to go up in the elevator."

Castle did his best to look puzzled. "I did? Well, you would have figured it out in no time."

"You're making me sound like Superwoman or something."

Rick whispered back. "I have a confession to make, Beckett. I peeked at you in the locker room once when you were changing. I saw the big S on that blue shirt you wear."

Kate glared at him.

"And you shouldn't do so much leaping over tall buildings with a single bound."

Before Kate could say a word in reply, the reporters drifted back, hands full of food and drink.

Castle stepped forward. "Now let me tell you the true story of what happened when the killer Mick McManus was brought down."

As Kate expected, Castle's version of the shooting gave far too much credit to her and not enough to everyone else, including Castle, who had certainly saved her life.

When Castle was done, he asked for questions. Most were attempts to get clarification for things Castle had already said. Then came the question Kate had been dreading.

"Are you two involved romantically?"

Castle answered at once. "No, not at all. Our relationship is purely professional." That brought some giggles. "Not _that_ kind of professional." He added quickly.

A grandmotherly looking columnist from the Ledger said, in a stage whisper, "Is she blind or just dumb?"

When there were no more questions, Castle suggested they take one more pass at the bar and then leave.

When the last reporter left, Kate breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you so very much, Castle. I really appreciate all that you've done for me. Thanks again, but now I really have to go."

"I was going to have dinner here and hoped you'd join me." He offered.

"Thanks, but no thanks." She said with a smile.

"You know none of them believed that we're not romantically involved. I'll bet they're all waiting for you outside." Castle checked his watch. "And the Broadway and other shows are just starting to get out. It'll take you forever to get a cab."

Kate peeked out the front windows of the club. Sure enough, there was a cluster of reporters on the sidewalk.

"Is there a back entrance I can use?"

"Sure, but there have been enough scandals involving Le Bonne Chance Club and its members that the reporters know all the exits. Come on, Beckett, you could use a good meal for once and not have to eat those sandwiches from the machine in the break room."

Kate sighed and took Castle's offered arm.

Once seated, Kate got another shock. "Castle, I need to see your menu. Mine doesn't list any prices."

Rick held up his menu for her to see. "Neither does mine. Le Bonne Chance Club operates on the principal that if it's members want a dish, they can afford it."

Kate scanned her menu. "I'm sure I can figure out what the cheapest meal is. Perhaps I'll just have a salad."

"A salad?" Castle said with some distaste. "You don't go to Le Bonne Chance Club for a salad." He turned away. "James."

As if by magic a waiter materialized by their table. "Yes, sir."

"The lady and I will have the surf and turf. I assume the filets are Kobe beef?"

James managed to look slightly shocked. "Of course, sir."

"And the lobsters?"

"We have both Maine lobsters and Australian, sir."

He thought for a moment. "We'll have the Australian, then."

"And to drink, sir. Your usual?"

"Yes, the Glenlivet 12-year old."

"And for the lady?"

"Castle, I'm on duty and have my sidearm. I can't have any alcohol."

"Perhaps some orange juice, Ma'am?" James suggested.

"Is it from Florida?" Beckett asked sarcastically.

"We also have oranges from California, and of course, they're freshly squeezed."

"Florida oranges will be fine."

When James had left, Castle leaned over to her. "You really should have told him that you only drink orange juice made from Spanish oranges."

Kate had to admit that the meal, even the orange juice, was the best that she'd ever had. Not that she'd admit that to Castle, of course.

When they finally left the club there were still several reporters hanging around, but Castle got her into the Rolls before they could even snap a photo.

"Castle, I need to apologize to you."

"Nonsense, Beckett. You didn't shoot me, remember?"

"No, but this morning I accused you of orchestrating those embarrassing news stories about me. I should have known that you'd never do anything like that to me. I was so upset at the possibility of losing my detective's shield and possibly getting fired that I just wasn't thinking straight. I'm very, very sorry for getting angry at you. I should have known better."

"No problem, Beckett. All's well that ends well. I didn't know about those stories until this morning. Mother was so upset about what happened that she wouldn't allow the TV news to be on or for any newspapers to come into the loft. As soon as I found out about those stories, I scrambled to set up the news conference. I hope you know that I would never, ever hurt you like that."

"I do. Thank you for what you've done for me."

After that, they settled back for a ride to her apartment in comfortable silence.

Castle got out of the car as she did.

"You don't have to walk me to my door, Castle."

"Of course, I do. It's what a gentleman does for a lady."

Kate was a little afraid he'd want a good night kiss, or ask if he could come in, but he just shook her hand and said good night. But as he walked away, she called to him.

"Castle."

He turned around. "Yes?"

"There are some things that you should know. Unlike the people on the shooting team, I was there at the warehouse that night. And, unlike them, I haven't been riding a desk at One PP for decades. "

"So?" He asked, curiously.

"There was one lightning bolt and it lasted for no more than a second. Also, when it's pitch-black like that, the pupils of your eyes dilate so you can take in as much light as possible to allow you to see as well as possible. Then, when there's a flash of light, your eyes are dazzled and you can't see for a while. Lastly, I know where my trigger finger was that night when you pushed me down. It was on the trigger of my Glock, and your thumb was nowhere near there."

"Why Detective Beckett. Are you accusing me of lying to an official NYPD investigation to protect you?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"I'd say that's very professional of you, but not very polite. Tomorrow, Beckett?"

"Tomorrow, Castle."

The End

**Author's note: This last chapter of When Kate Shot Rick is being posted from Tombstone, Arizona, the town too tough to die. And it's given me an idea for another Castle story.**


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